Winding machine



H. G. BUTTER-WORTH 3,362,652

Jan. 9, 1968 WINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1965 W HIII IYNVENTOR HARRY e. BUTTERWORTH Jan. 9, 1968 H; 5. BUTTERWORTH 3,3 ,65

WINDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGZ I IINVENTOR HARRY G.BUTTERWORTH Jan. 9, 1968 H. G. BUTTERWORTH WINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed May 28, 1965 Bun" mflansv, .417

United States Patent 3,362,652 WINDING MACHINE Harry G. Butterworth, Rochdale, England, assignor to Leesona Limited, Lancashire, England, a corporation of Great Britain Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,645 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 29, 1964, 22,232/ 64 7 Claims. (Cl. 242-43) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Mechanism for traversing a strand to and fro as it is wound into a package. Groups of finger elements are rotatably mounted on spindles for moving the strand in opposite directions, one group for moving the strand in each of the opposite directions. The spindles of one group are concentric with the spindles of the other group to provide a more compact arrangement. By positioning certain spindles nearer the path than other spindles, the traversing speed of the strand may be varied.

This invention concerns winding machines and in particular the traverse mechanism used to cause build up of a yarn package such as a cheese or cone.

One known type of winding machine incorporates a traverse drum having a groove thereon. The yarn is arranged to lie in the groove and thus be caused, as the drum rotates, to wind onto the package in the required manner.

The principal disadvantage with the above mentioned type of traverse mechanism lies in the fact that when the groove has been formed the manner in which the yarn can be wound onto the package is dictated by the profile of the groove. In addition the speed at which the winding can take place is restricted to a speed which, although relatively high, is below that at which certain yarns could be wound.

It is also found that separate cam type traverse mechanism tend to become noisy in operation particularly if they are being run at speeds approaching the maximum possible.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new and improved traverse mechanism. Another object is to provide a traverse mechanism which can be used at speeds in excess of that available in separate cam type traverse mechanisms and at the same time be less noisy. In addition it is a further object of the invention to enable winding at various angles of wind.

According to the present invention a yarn traverse mechanism includes at least one rotatable spindle upon which is mounted a disc or finger arrangement, the disc or finger arrangement being such that as it is rotated it will cause a yarn to be wound to travel in one direction over a required distance and then in the reverse direction over the same distance along a guide edge or surface thereby to cause the yarn to become wound onto a package in the required manner.

Preferably there are a plurality of spindles each carrying their own disc or finger arrangement, the disposition of the spindles being such that the yarn is moved over part of its traverse by each of the disc or finger arrangements in succession, the discs or fingers being synchronised to cause the yarn to be transferred from one disc or spindle to the next as traversing takes place.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a yarn traverse mechanism made in accordance With the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 1 with parts omitted for clarity.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of part of the mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the mechanism.

A traverse mechanism made in accordance with the invention includes a pair of spaced-apart frame plates 10 each of which is provided with two spaced apart bosses 11 through which are drilled holes adapted to receive finger carrying spindles. The arrangement of the drilled holes is such that the spindles lie on a line disposed angularly relative to upper edges 13 of the plates.

In all there are eight finger carrying spindles, these being arranged in four pairs. Each pair of spindles consists of an outer hollow cylindrical spindle 12 having therethrough a concentric inner spindle 14. (See FIG. 4.)

The inner spindle 14 of each pair is longer than the outer spindle 12. On the inner end of each of the spindles 12 and 14, that is between the frame plates 10, is mounted a finger element 15.

The fingers 15 of each pair of spindles are so disposed relative to each other that first one finger and then the other can be rotated such that its end region projects above the upper edges 13 of the frame plates 10.

On the outer end of each spindle 12 and 14 is mounted a chain sprocket 16. The spindles 12 and 14 of each pair are independently rotatable and, as will be referred to below, are caused to rotate in opposite directions. Below the spindles 12 and 14 referred to above are two gear spindles 17 each of which passes through the two frame plates 10. Adjacent one of the frame plates 19 the two spindles 17 are each provided with a gear Wheel (not shown). The two gears are in mesh and thus when one spindle 17 is rotated in a clockwise direction the other is rotated in a counterclockwise direction.

Each gear spindle 17 has mounted thereon a chain sprocket 18 and around one chain sprocket passes a chain 19 which encircles the chain sprockets 16 of the two cylindrical finger carrying spindles 12. A second chain 20 passes around the chain sprockets 18 of the other gear spindle 17 and the sprockets 16 of the concentric inner finger carrying spindles 14.

On the opposite ends of each of the gear spindles 17 is mounted a further chain sprocket 18a (these being located adjacent the outer face of the other frame plate 10). One belt-like chain 19a of the pair of such chains 19a, 20a, is arranged to pass around one sprocket 18a and the sprockets 16 of the cylindrical finger carrying spindles 12 whilst the other chain 20a of the pair passes around the other chain sprocket 18a and the sprockets 16 of the inner finger carrying spindles 14.

If desired chain tensioning rollers 21 or idler sprockets can be mounted adjacent the chains.

The arrangement described enables four of the finger carrying spindles to be rotated in a clockwise direction (say the cylindrical spindles 12) and the other four spindles 14 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction.

In a modification of the mechanism just described the chains and sprockets can be replaced by gear trains or V-belts and pulleys.

In use, to wind a yarn shown by the phantom line Y in FIG. 4 onto a cone 22, the yarn Y is passed across the upper edges 13 of the frame plates 10 and as the spindles 12 and 14 are rotated it will be moved across the frame plates 10, for example, firstly by the clockwise moving fingers 15 and then will be moved in the opposite direction by the counterclockwise moving fingers 15. Due to the disposition of the spindles 12 and 14 carrying the fingers 15 relative to the upper edges 13 of the frame plates 10 the length of the fingers 15 at one end of the frame plates 10 will be less than the length of the fingers 15 at the other end, the length of the fingers 15 of the outer spindles 12 being different than the length of the fingers 15 of the inner spindles 14 and different than each other.

In an arrangement in which there is a progressive increase in finger length from the shortest to the longest fingers there will be a progressive acceleration of the yarn Y as it is traversed in one direction and a progressive deceleration as the yarn Y is moved in the opposite direction and this can be arranged to match the taper of the package 22 being wound. It is also possible to vary the acceleration and deceleration by alteration of the centres of the spindles 12 and 14 and the length of the fingers 15 while retaining the same rotational speed of the spindles and thus yarn can be wound as required upon the package.

It is found that the yarn movement is in fact not strictly uniform across the edges 13 of the frame plates due to the fact that the fingers move in a circular path while the yarn Y moves in a straight path but this variation in yarn movement is acceptable in package build-up.

If the variation in yarn movement is required to be minimal so that yarn movement is as nearly as possible constant during traverse, the centres of the spindles can be located along a line parallel to the edges 13 of the frame plates 10 and thus fingers of constant length can be used, in which case the only variation in the yarn movement is due to the circular movement of the fingers.

In a further modification the fingers 15 referred to may be substantially in the form of discs having a radially disposed edge thereon to cause traverse of the yarn Y.

In a still further modification there may be provided a stripping mechanism adjacent the ends of the frame plates 10, this mechanism serving positively to lift the yarn from the end fingers 15 or discs at each end of its traverse across the frame plates 10. When this mechanism is incorporated the stripper will be synchronised to remove the yarn Y from the end finger 15 or disc positively and to positively locate the yarn Y in position to be collected by the first finger 15 or disc of the return series.

It should be appreciated that the number of fingers or discs required to traverse the yarn over the required distance will vary in accordance with the length of the fingers used or the size of the discs and the package size and thus it will be possible in short packages to use only one finger or disc for the traverse of yarn in each direction. In larger packages more fingers or discs will be necessary.

While this invention has been described and illustrated With reference to certain embodiments in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Mechanism for traversing a strand back and forth along a path, comprising handling means for alternately traversing the strand in opposite directions along the path and including groups of strand engaging elements, one group for traversing the strand in each of said directions, means mounting said elements for rotary movement along the path with the elements of one group rotating in one direction along the path and the elements of the other group rotating in an opposite direction along the path, and mounting the elements of each group spaced apart along the path for transferring the strand from one element to another element in the same group as the strand moves in one direction along the path, and drive means for operating said elements to so move said strand.

2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which said handling means is operable for moving the elements of a group at different speeds along said path to vary the speed of the strand along the path.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said mounting means mounts said elements on spindles.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which one of said spindles is nearer said path than another of said spindles, and said drive means rotates said spindles at substantially constant speed, thereby moving the elements at different speeds along the path.

5. Traversing mechanism for a strand, comprising a frame, means on said frame defining a path for said strand, handling means including a pair of groups of elements operable for traversing the strand along said path, one group of said pair operable for traversing said strand in each of opposite directions, means mounting said elements on said frame with the elements of each group positioned for sequentially moving said strand in the respective direction along successive increments of said path and including inner and outer concentric spindles, said inner spindle mounting an element of one of said groups and said outer spindle mounting an element of the other of said groups, and drive means for rotating said spindles in opposite directions to so move said yarn.

6. Mechanism as set forth in claim 5 in which the mounting means mounts at least a portion of said elements of a group spaced apart along said path, said drive means operates the last said elements for transfer of the strand from a first of the last said elements to a second of the last said elements as the strand is being moved by the first element.

7. Mechanism as set forth in claim 6 in which said elements are strand engaging fingers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,420 10/ 1906 Taylor. 1,475,525 11/ 1923 Tober 242--43 2,238,128 4/ 1941 Nydegger 242-43 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

